Jury trial set in Clinton County vehicular homicide case

Three-vehicle accident claimed life of Hillsboro woman

The case against a 20-year-old Hillsboro resident charged with vehicular homicide in Clinton County will go before a jury in January.

During a final pretrial hearing Wednesday in Clinton County Municipal Court in Wilmington, a jury trial was set for Jan. 11, 2019 for Ethan Adkins, 20, of Hillsboro.

Adkins was charged with vehicular homicide, a first-degree misdemeanor, after a three-vehicle accident in November 2017 on SR 73 at Antioch Road south of Wilmington. It resulted in the death of Hailee Heflin, 22, of Hillsboro. Five others were injured.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s investigation, Adkins, who was 19 at the time, rear-ended Heflin, who was driving southeast on SR 73 when she slowed to make a left turn upon approaching Antioch Road. The collision forced Heflin’s vehicle into the oncoming lane, where it was struck head-on by a third vehicle, according to the patrol. Heflin was pronounced dead at the scene.

Heflin’s passenger, her 2-year-old son, was transported to Greene County Memorial Hospital with serious injuries. The four occupants of the third vehicle were transported to Clinton Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Adkins had no reported injuries.

Vehicular homicide includes a sentence of up to six months in jail and a mandatory license suspension of one to five years.

Adkins’ attorney, Scott Evans, entered a not-guilty plea on behalf of Adkins at a hearing in February.

A final status hearing in the case is set before the trial on Dec. 13.